Dear HLPE Secretariat,
We think it would be important to include something in the document about water quality implications to food safety. Looking at the zero draft, we thought that this could be done right upfront in the section 1.1.2 Water quality and food security and nutrition.
We therefore suggest to add the following text on page 13 line 19.
Many, if not most, foodborne illnesses can be related back to poor water quality used in food production and/or postharvest processing. Water can in fact be the vehicle for both pathogens and chemical contaminants to be transferred from the environment into the food chain, thus impacting on Food Safety and Public Health. Water quality implications should be carefully considered not just from an environmental and agricultural perspective, but also taken into account to integrate Water Management, Public Health and Food Safety into joint policies and decision making. Furthermore, the growing demand for quality water accompanied by the increasing water scarcity and pollution, calls for a more systematic and at the same time safe approach to water re-use (see section xxxx).
Thank you and best regards,
Vittorio Fattori
Food Safety and Quality Unit
Food Safety and Quality UnitVittorio Fattori